1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a system for monitoring the weight of a motor vehicle.
2. Background of the Invention
When a motor vehicle is used, it is necessary, for technical reasons, to comply with maximum values for the overall weight of the vehicle and for the axle load which bears on each individual axle. The overall weight of the vehicle is composed of the maximum empty weight (pure weight of the vehicle plus 90% charge in the fuel tank plus maximum charge with other fluids) as well as the payload (driver, other occupants of the vehicle, baggage). If the motor vehicle has a trailer hitch and is towing a trailer, there exists a maximum overall weight of the vehicle combination, composed of the already mentioned overall weight of the vehicle and the weight of the trailer, with which to comply, the weight of the trailer giving rise in turn to a maximum vertical static load on the trailer hitch and to a maximum towable load. Although the maximum values for the aforesaid weights are recorded in the vehicle""s user manual, in practice only a small number of users are aware of the precise significance of these parameters, and a correspondingly small number of users pay attention to them when loading their vehicle. It is therefore frequently the case that the permitted maximum values are exceeded and a vehicle is overloaded. As a result, it is possible that the dynamics of the vehicle may be degraded, giving rise to an insufficient cooling capacity of the various cooling systems, especially if the air conditioning system is used, and inadequate acceleration characteristics when the vehicle travels at positive gradients.
WO 87/02127 discloses a weight monitoring system that has at least one sensor for sensing the loading of an axle with weight. A microprocessor which is coupled to the sensor then calculates weight-related parameters such as the axle load, the overall weight of the vehicle and the payload from the measured data of the sensor and makes the aforesaid parameters available to a user on a display in a callable form. If the microprocessor detects that a legally permitted weight limit is exceeded, it issues a warning to the user. Such a weight monitoring system can prevent many cases of impermissible overloading of the vehicle without the user himself having to make complicated calculations in this respect. Nevertheless, such a system has considerable gaps owing to the fact that a user who is forced to transport a certain payload will possibly exceed the limiting values to do so, and as the system only takes into account the conditions which prevail at the respective time but can, however, change in the course of a journey.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a weight monitoring system for a vehicle that provides better protection against overloading of the motor vehicle without burdening the user with complicated calculations.
The present invention provides a system for monitoring the weight of a motor vehicle.
In one aspect of the invention, a weight monitoring system of a motor vehicle is disclosed. This system comprises at least one weight sensor, which is capable of sensing at least one weight variable. The system further comprises a data processing unit operatively coupled with the at least one weight sensor, wherein the data processing unit is capable of calculating a maximum value for the at least one weight variable based on at least one anticipated operating condition.
One advantage of the invention is that it provides better protection against a user overloading a vehicle for a specified set of operating conditions. Another advantage of the invention is that it allows the user to check whether a payload will comply with the maximum load values before actually loading the vehicle.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawing and appended claims.